The present invention relates generally to a cleaning device, and particularly to a squeezing device for a wiping cover of a flat-body wiper. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of such a squeezing device and a cleaning system, which includes such a squeezing device.
A cleaning device having a flat-body wiper and a squeezing device for a wiping cover of a flat body wiper is known from German Patent Document DE 196 20 633 C2. The flat-body wiper has a handle and a wiper plate, which is connected to the handle via a connection element having a joint. In the forward region of the wiper plate, viewed in the wiping direction, a clamping device is positioned for attaching a wiping cover. In the rear region, the wiping cover is held by the wiper plate pressing down its fabric. To squeeze out the wiping cover, the flat-body wiper together with the wiper plate is lifted off of the floor, the wiper plate folding downward into a vertical position and the wiping cover, which is only attached at the front end of the wiper plate, hanging vertically downward. The wiping cover is now introduced in this position into the squeezing basket, which tapers conically downward, vertically from above, so that the covering lies in folds. By exerting pressure on the handle, the wiping cover is squeezed out via the downward pointing face of the wiper plate in the squeezing basket. The known cleaning device has the disadvantage that the wiping cover must be placed very carefully as it is inserted into the squeezing basket in order to reach the desired fold arrangement. Parts of the wiping cover which do not come to rest under the pressure surface, but laterally thereof on the inner wall of the squeezing shaft, are not squeezed out. Care must also be taken that the handle is in the most vertical position possible as pressure is exerted, so that the force exerted by the user is converted as effectively as possible into a squeezing force and is not directed against the lateral wall of the squeezing shaft, through which the danger of tipping the container carrying the squeezing device, which has cleaning fluid, arises. A further disadvantage is that, in the operating position, the wiping cover is only fixed in the forward region of the wiper plate. In order to avoid slipping of the wiping cover in the rear region, in particular in the event of high floor friction, the user must continuously exert an appropriate pressing force on the handle during wiping.
A two-part wiper plate having plate wings, which are pivotably mounted via folding shafts, in which the plate wings may be folded vertically downward for cleaning purposes, is known from German Patent Application DE 40 11 713 A1. The wiping cover is attached only at the end of the plate wings and sags downward in a loop shape when the plate wings are in the folded-down position. In this position, it may be dipped into a liquid bath and cleaned. It cannot be inferred from the publication whether and/or how the wiping cover is squeezed out upon completion of the cleaning.